LUCKNOW, Sept. 27 -- Young educators who once struggled to be heard in hearing classrooms are now becoming the voice of confidence for deaf students across the country, proving that with access to Indian sign language and the right support, deafness ceases to be a barrier. On the eve of World Deaf Day, celebrated on the last Sunday of September, HT spoke to some deaf educators who are becoming a beacon of hope for others with hearing impairment. Haldwani's Damini Sah, 28, who studied at Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University, Lucknow, said as a deaf child, she faced a society largely unequipped to understand her communication needs. "Finding the right educational foundation was an uphill task, requiring immense navigation through specialised institutes and distance learning to secure my schooling. Beyond academics, I faced the societal assumption that physical sports and high-octane competitive arenas were closed off to deaf individuals. I refused to let boundaries define my capabilities," she said. "I did my BA and D.Ed. in special education (hearing impairment) from DSMNRU and threw myself into the competitive sports arena. I also stepped onto the national stage, competing in the national championship of badminton for deaf athletes and leading the 'People with Hearing Impaired Network (PHIN)' women's team to a runner-up position in the 3rd Indian Women's Deaf Tennis Ball Cricket League," Shah shared. She is now working as a special educator at PHIN, Hyderabad, teaching her students that courage and dedication can conquer any challenge. Ekta Tiwari, 32, another deaf individual who studied at DSMNRU, said: "My academic journey began with a massive hurdle: studying in mainstream schools from Classes 6 to 12 in Gorakhpur where teachers and peers did not know sign language. Surrounded by hearing students, I faced isolation, communication breakdowns, and a gruelling struggle to keep up through self-study and heavy textbooks alone." . She shared that the support of her parents, who learned sign language alongside her, boosted her morale. "I mastered the art of self-reliance, graduated alongside hearing peers, and unlocked my true identity when I discovered Indian Sign Language (ISL). I also earned advanced degrees, founded the digital platform 'Teach with Sign,' and trained around 100 SBI staff members in ISL," she said. "Today, I teach at a national institute of speech and hearing disabilities in Noida. I believe my determination helped me transform every barrier into a bridge," said Tiwari. Shubham Kumar Singh, 28, who completed his higher education at DSMNRU, said that as a young boy, he was enrolled in a government school for hearing students. "I did not know Indian Sign Language and there were no interpreters. Being the only deaf student left me feeling isolated, struggling daily to express myself, understand lessons and connect with the world around," said Singh. However, when he entered higher education at IDBA Indore, he discovered ISL, which was a turning point that gave him confidence. "I won a gold medal in MEd (special education) in 2024 at DSMNRU. From facing loneliness in a regular classroom to standing proudly as a teacher at a school for the deaf in Odisha, I have understood that deafness is never a barrier to brilliance," he said....